


Gazing at the Starry Night

by ramesantini



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Denial of Feelings, Fluff, M/M, Person as an anchor, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 09:28:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14305746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ramesantini/pseuds/ramesantini
Summary: Sometimes it's not a "love at first sight", but rather a "love at first smile".





	1. Smile for me

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired from Vincent Van Gogh’s painting and Mamamoo’s song, Starry Night.

Please leave your bags before entering. The note says beside the entrance of the art exhibit. This note will play a huge role in making two people know and connect to each other as two guys drop their identical black backpacks at the counter without knowing that their bags are identical. And the two of them enter the art exhibit and parted ways.

The crowd is getting bigger since it’s already past 10 in the morning, and at the far left side Hyunjin is looking at the painting, Starry Night in front him. He seems enjoying the sight of it until he sees this bright smile of someone standing beside him. It’s a smile from a stranger, yet he feels like smiling too because of it. It’s a kind of smile that lightens the mood and is something contagious. While looking at this person’s smile, the person looks at him too. Hyunjin was taken aback with what happened so he wasn’t able to hide his blushing face to that person. 

Embarrassed with his action, Hyunjin left his place and strolled to the other part of the exhibit. The person with the bright smile looked where Hyunjin went. He was amused, yet he let go of what happened by chuckling on the inside. He found him cute. And after a while, he just moved to Hyunjin’s abandoned place so he can observe the painting clearly. 

Despite of the noisy crowd, Hyunjin doesn’t hear the loud voices of the people around him. If he does, surely he will be annoyed immediately since he wants to appreciate the art peacefully. Apparently at this time, his mind is occupied with not just fascination with the paintings, but also this image of the young guy’s smile he saw earlier. Now he wonders if the person he saw earlier is still here because he wants to know his name. 

After half an hour of low-key searching for the boy with the bright smile, Hyunjin didn’t find any trace of him so he gave up his flattering thought and just proceeded in observing the art exhibit. 

Hyunjin wasn’t able to find this boy for the reason that first, the boy with the bright smile left thirty minutes ago before Hyunjin decided to know the stranger’s name, and second he somehow always ruin every good chance he gets in pursuing what (even who) he likes. 

Thirty minutes ago, the boy with the bright smile whose name is Seungmin went out from the art exhibit because of an emergency. His mom called him because his younger brother got into an accident that’s why he left the place in a rush without noticing that the black backpack that he took from the counter was not his, but Hyunjin’s.

And thirty minutes later, Hyunjin got tired from strolling so he finally chose to go home and sleep and be bothered again that he missed an opportunity to know the guy he caught a glimpse of in the art exhibit. There’s this slight feeling of regret in his self. A slight of what if. But he just needs to deal with it until he gets some sleep. 

On the counter, Hyunjin grabs his bag and continues to walk outside of the building aimlessly without also knowing that the backpack on his back is not his, but Seungmin’s.


	2. Hi, hello there

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist: Song #1 Day6's I Smile, Song #2 Day6's Hi Hello

Seungmin is not just nervous, rather he is anxious while walking towards the hospital where his brother was admitted. Questions keep running on his mind that make him exhausted easily. He tried to brush those off but the thoughts keep on coming back. He just wants to open the door of the room where his brother is so he could be relieved from this stress. But for the meantime, he will be full of rambled punctuation marks that don’t make sense until he gets there.

While the other is distressed because of an accident that involves a family member of his, Hyunjin is out there being stressed because he didn’t get an opportunity to know at least the name of the smiley boy he saw earlier. Well, he doesn’t even know what following question he would have asked if he was able to know the smiley boy’s name. I think it’s still a good thing, it’ll just be awkward though he thought.

Besides, Hyunjin thought that the boy might think he is weird for asking his name out of nowhere. And the act is too cringey that he would die of embarrassment for doing it in the first place. So this is much better, this day shall pass and so does this regret he convinced himself. Hyunjin halts and looks for a bench to sit on. He always does this whenever he is regretting something he didn’t do. He sits and observe the passersby and listen to the songs in his old smartphone to forget bad things that happened within the day.

As Hyunjin placed his backpack on his side and started unpacking things to find his smartphone, he noticed something different. Pastel-colored journal. Poetry book. Flashlight. Whistle. Wait, this isn’t mine. Is it? he questions himself. Yeah, this is definitely not mine. Since when did I carry these things? he is nervous. Hyunjin is now worried not because of his wallet gone missing, but because his journal that has his drawings is in his backpack that is nowhere to be seen. All of the years of hardwork is now gone. Diminished. He thought that this day won’t be that bad, guess the joke’s on him for believing in such thing as “good day”.

Although, something caught his attention again while unpacking and ranting to himself, the ID of a stranger. The person on the ID has a smile that is familiar to him.  
“He’s the guy earlier.” he muttered to himself quietly.

And then also a smile formed on his face, as if the stress of losing his hard earned sketches for years didn’t happen. What’s important to him now is he knows the name of the smiley boy he saw at the art exhibit.

“Kim Seungmin. What a cute name— like you.” he snickered while looking at the ID he’s firmly holding on.

***

Back at the hospital, Seungmin is now relieved. The doctor said to them that his brother’s injury is only a minor injury and he will be discharged in a week. Hearing those words are more than good news to him and to his mother. Since when a car accident like this happened years before, the words that they heard weren’t something they want to remember. And Seungmin doesn’t want to re-experience something that could destroy him completely. He doesn’t want his mother to feel another loss as well.

He cautiously walks towards his brother’s bed. Looking at his little brother’s bruised face, he can’t help but still cry even though he knows that everything will be fine now.

“You’re okay now, Jeonginie. Our Jeonginie.” he whispered while caressing his brother’s hair.

Seungmin patted his little brother’s head then he went to his mother and hugged her.

“You should also rest, Min. I’ll take responsibility here and you can go home, alright? I left some food in the oven for dinner.” She kissed her son on the cheek. “Take care. Love you.” Seungmin nodded and left the room. He directly went home from the hospital and when he arrived at their home, he went straight to his bed and fall face first on it. Then he is asleep. Away from the weary things this life brought to him.

Two hours later, Seungmin was awaken by the sound of an alarm. That doesn’t sound like mine, he thought. It doesn’t sound like his but the sound is near to him, he’s still sore from his sleep but he slowly standing up to find where the sound was coming from so he could shut it down.

Finally, he discovered that it’s coming from the front pocket of his backpack. He unzipped the pocket and reached out the phone inside.

“Huh?”

This isn’t mine.

He swiped the screen and saw 5 missed calls from his own number. Confused. He grabbed the backpack and searched it.

“Woah, what just happened? Whose bag is this.” he talked to himself.

Seungmin lifted the bag and held it upside down so the things feel off inside it. Then he saw a school ID. Hyunjin. He’s somehow in the middle of mixed feelings. He wants to laugh at what happened (the switching of bags), but he is also bothered because his journal that is full of his random thoughts and secrets are in his bag, and the thought of a stranger having it is much worse.

Apparently, he didn’t recognize Hyunjin from the ID. However, soon enough he will recognize the feeling that is yet to bloom when the beginning of something is about to start after a few short pauses of Seungmin contemplating to this absurd scenario that he is in.

The phone buzzed while it’s in his hand. Seungmin panicked and was surprised that he almost dropped his— Hyunjin’s phone.

***

Should I call him? I mean my phone.

“No no no no.” he blurted out loud.

But this is the only way—

“Alright nope, I’m no—” then Hyunjin typed his number and called his own smartphone.

“Please please please answer this call.” Hyunjin is nervous, but he’s feeling these butterflies in his stomach.

***

Seungmin answered the incoming call.

“Hello?”

“Uh— hi?” Hyunjin stuttered and his nervousness is showing through his voice.

“Okay,”

“Oh, this seems awkward and funny, well at least to me, but your phone and belongings are here.”

“Right,” then Seungmin couldn’t help but to smile again. “Same. I’m sorry I think I’m the to be blamed for this.” he chuckled.

“No no, don’t be. At least our things are in safe hands.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Well, it’s me. And it’s you.”

“Feels like you really know me huh.” Seungmin let out a small laugh.

“I wish.” Hyunjin whispered.

“What’s that again?”

“I mean where can we exchange our things again? I kinda need my stuff on Monday.” Hyunjin tried to be brave.

“Yeah right. Are you available tomorrow? We go to different schools so it’ll be hard to exchange things in the weekdays.”

“Yes, sure!”

“Alright, thanks for calling even though it feels awkward talking over the phone with a stranger.”

“Same.” Hyunjin grinned.

“Bye.”

“See you.”

And that maybe the first time Hyunjin gets to step out of his cocoon. He thinks that maybe it’s just a good Samaritan act for Seungmin, but for him it’ll be a lot more than that. It means something great to him since he’ll be able to see that smile again from someone he likes. A smile that can brighten someone’s day even if you don’t know them personally.

  
He’s now making situations inside his mind. Like what he will dress for tomorrow or what he should say first that sounds cool. He thinks of ways to impress this stranger that he will meet again tomorrow. And he’s truly hoping that after tomorrow, they’ll be friends and not just mere strangers.

He hopes that constellations will align perfectly tomorrow. It’s just a simple day and good acts to another, yet it’s an exciting start of a newfound inspiration to the other one.


	3. I'm serious can't you see?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Playlist: Song #4 Day6's I'm Serious

On time is an understatement when it comes to Hyunjin’s punctuality today. He’s never like that usually, unless he really thinks that something or maybe someone is worth of his time. He’s been standing in front of his favorite ramen house in their town for half an hour before their agreed time feeling nervous yet excited. 

He may look like he’s calm, but his eyes couldn’t hide what his heart desires. The glow in Hyunjin’s eyes just scream that he’s looking forward in meeting again his favorite stranger, Seungmin. 

Excitement builds fantasies in someone’s head. Fantasies that could be real scenarios. That could lead into some actual scenarios if one does have a courage to make a move with that excitement. Especially if it’s not a normal scenario but a love scenario.

And Hyunjin is that type of man who’s willing to make move on a glorious excitement since he experienced a lot of could have been scenarios, and this time he wants it to be real. 

Although he’s not sure yet on where will it lead and he will eventually need someone’s assurance and consent for it at some point. It seems like an easy-peasy job, but Hyunjin doesn’t know what Seungmin might say in the following actions that he is willing to do. 

Seungmin hates being late, even if it’s alright with him being the one who’s waiting for a long time. That’s just how he is as a person, he can’t bear thinking that someone needs to take responsibility of him. He would rather be being held accountable to something instead of someone. Yeah, that’s not a good habit but you will develop that kind of mindset if you’re the one who’s taking care of your family when that “someone” who should be doing that disappeared without any notice.

30 minutes after their agreed time. Hyunjin is still standing— waiting for him to arrive.

31 minutes after their agreed time. Out of breath is what Seungmin is experiencing right now. Damn the broken alarm clock that didn’t wake him up. He knows it’s his fault.

32 minutes after their agreed time. It’s been one hour and 32 minutes since Hyunjin’s appearance at the front of his favorite ramen house. Wishful thinking of today’s agenda.

33 minutes after their agreed time. Looking into his watch, Seungmin just wants to curse out loud for his stupidity. I should treat him something he thought. 

34 minutes after their agreed time. I could wait. I know he’s coming Hyunjin thought. Even though he’s not certain anymore considering Seungmin is just a stranger after all. I could wait, he uttered again. Oh, he will, for sure.

35 minutes after their agreed time and the smile began to form on Hyunjin’s face. He’s here. 

Seungmin waved at Hyunjin, looking so embarrassed and sorry for what he has done. The waiting boy just glimmered his bright smile to his favorite stranger. Isn’t it remarkable that Hyunjin is now the one who’s flaunting his bright smile? Just to say he’s glad that he saw Seungmin again after a while. 

“I’m sorry. My alarm didn’t go to the way that I planned— but yeah, he’s your bag.” Seungmin started to take the backpack from his back but Hyunjin interrupted him.

“Oh yeah wait, let’s sit down for a while. You look exhausted. You ran, didn’t you?” he sounds like he’s teasing Seungmin. 

“Well, I guess it’s pretty obvious now.” Seungmin snickered.

“Aww, I’m touched,” Hyunjin did this gesture of clenching his heart “but we do need to sit. Let’s go inside this ramen house for now.” If you’re someone who’s attentive to the usage of words, you will notice that there’s something with the phrase ‘for now’, and you’ll see what that means soon enough.

“Alright.” Seungmin agreed easily and they both went inside the ramen house. 

Inside the ramen house, Hyunjin picked the vacant place near the entrance since it’s the first spot that was vacated by the customers, and the ramen house was almost occupied with a lot of local goers.

Hyunjin seated at the opposite side of his Seungmin so basically they are facing each other while sitting with an awkward atmosphere because this is their actual first meeting personally. They just exchanged conversations through a device with just hearing the voice in a close distance but without an actual representation of the person you’re talking with. 

Seungmin is definitely the awkward type in a situation around strangers or even people he knows but not close enough to erase his uneasiness. That’s why he doesn’t prefer to attend social gatherings or an event where a lot of people he don’t know are involved, unless it’s required or there’s no choice. He likes to stay at home and be enveloped with his silky blanket, which is by the way his hobby besides writing his thoughts and stories. 

But at this particular time, and at this particular ramen house— he’s not the one who’s awkward with his actions. It’s Hyunjin. 

The normal heart rate for adults is between 60 and 100 bpm, but for Hyunjin it’s currently thrice for that number. He’s facing right now the person that he wants to badly meet and know in person. Eventually it will be impossible to stay still and have a focused mind and become his usual self who is talkative even to people who he just met.

I guess that’s what a small admiration can do to a person from time to time. I guess it’s a bizarre characteristic of a person. And I guess it’s a sign of a genuine affection that is starting to build up on Hyunjin’s being. 

Even though he tried to look cool so Seungmin will be impressed in him, his dorkiness persist in showing due to his awkwardness that could be seen on his gestures. So Seungmin continued on smiling like what he always does to hold his laughter to this funny man in front of him. A wide smile from Seungmin could create huge currents on Hyunjin’s heart.

To break the nervous atmosphere that exists, Seungmin offered something to Hyunjin.

“So what kind of ramen do you want to order?”

“I like different varieties but Tonkutso ramen is what my taste buds are demanding today.”

“Alright, I’ll just order two of that. It’s my treat since I kept you waiting for a long time and I’m starving,” Seungmin let out an embarrassed smile, “stay here and watch out for our backpacks, and I hope it won’t get swapped again” then they laughed with his joke. Hyunjin nodded and Seungmin went to order their food. 

After a few minutes, they both dined their ramen excitedly with the slurping sounds that you often hear when people are enjoying the ramen they are eating. And it’s not just the ramen that they are enjoying presently, surprisingly the presence of one another too, even though they just met and barely knew each other. 

Considering that the talkative Hyunjin isn’t in himself while he’s with Seungmin, Seungmin is the one who keeps on asking questions first and adding fun stories so their conversation won’t turn sloppy and uncomfortable. They keep on talking about the basic things like where do they study and their hometown is, and what they usually do in a day when they have free time. 

“Not to ruin the momentum, but I originally plan to just get my stuff and leave right away,” he blurted one, “but I’m surprised that this turned out well. I’m not usually good conversing with people that I hardly know.” now he’s shocked on why he said these words.

“And I’m the one who usually the chitchat type, and I’m the one who’s just good with replying in your questions today,” Hyunjin smirked. “Maybe we could hang out again soon if you want, like going to an arcade or something.” he followed. This is the action that he’d been practicing on his mind since they seated, asking to meet Seungmin again. 

Before, he’s quite nervous because he felt this feeling towards a man who turned out to be a stranger. But after meeting him, he’s happy because the Seungmin he met today is much better than the one in his idea. So he swallowed his embarrassment and asked the person in front of him. 

“Sure.” Seungmin happily agreed to his suggestion.

One word. Just one word to continue this starting fire on Hyunjin’s hearth. 

Hyunjin doesn’t have that much friends even though he’s really an outgoing person, although he has a lot of acquaintances in his life. That’s why he’s enthusiastic in this situation he’s in with Seungmin. He will gain a friend that he really likes. And it just started from a painting to a smile. It seems surreal to him, but things are like that.


End file.
